Transformed human pluripotent stem cells and associated methods

Abstract

The present disclosure provides transformed human pluripotent stem cell (t-hPSC). t-hPSCs are not dependent on Oct4 for renewal and survival, however exhibit a sensitivity to reduced levels of the transcription factor Nanog. Also provided are methods of culturing cells for use in a cell-based screening assay comprising placing one or more transformed human pluripotent stem cells into a receptacle and culturing said stem cells in the receptacle to form a monolayer of stem cells without cell overlap. Methods of screening compounds using t-hPSCs are also described.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A transformed human pluripotent stem cell (t-hPSC) produced by the variant human embryonic stem cell line deposited with the International Depositary of Canada (IDAC), under Accession No. 220715-01, and designated v-hESC-1, wherein the cell does not require bFGF for maintenance of an undifferentiated state, maintains expression of SSEA3 in the absence of bFGF, co-expresses FGFR1 and IGFR1, has an amplification of at least 0.8 megabase at 20q 11.1-11.2 and grows in a monolayer. 
     
     
       2. The transformed human pluripotent stem cell of  claim 1 , wherein the cell has been passaged as a single cell. 
     
     
       3. A cell culture comprising a plurality of transformed human pluripotent stem cells (t-hPSCs) of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       4. The cell culture of  claim 3 , wherein the cell culture is a monolayer without cell overlap. 
     
     
       5. The cell culture of  claim 3 , wherein the cell culture is passaged from a single cell.